Friday, 3 September 2010

It's been a difficult decision, but I think The Marvels of Mikulov may have been the last real post on this blog. It's not that there aren't hundreds more interesting things to write about (I'll actually be cycling through the nicest part of the country for the next few weeks) but it's been a difficult 12 or 18 months and I feel I need to focus more of my time and energy on things that produce an income.

The plunder of the Slav Epic was also quite a discouraging event that highlighted to me the pointlessness of spreading the word about the country's hidden gems if the best are going to be carted off to the capital anyway. I wonder if the bones from Kutná Hora will be next?

The answer to Where the Czech...? #151 is Hodonín on the banks of the Morava River where it becomes the international border with Slovakia. Liberator president Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk was born to a Moravian mother and Slovak father there in 1850. The wooden sculptures in Where the Czech...? #143 are part of a recreation of a fortified campsite at a Great Moravian Empire archeological site near Lanžhot, also in South Moravia.

I've very much enjoyed meeting people like Mike, Scott and Marketa, Derek, Sherry and Nina through the blog and keeping up acquaintances with others like Brett and Jay. Hope to see you all again someday.

Thanks for reading, take care of yourselves and bye for now, captain oddsocks.

Tho I haven't commented,I have followed your posts for the last year or so with great interest and will be sad not to hear from you. The Czech Republic is a fabulous country and I hope you continue to explore it and will one day return to tell us about it.

Damn, not sure what I am going to do with all my free time on Fridays now with out a mystery to solve. The blog has been well done and will be missed. Take care and be well. Don't be surprised if I knock on your door again in the future, and if you are ever on this side of the pond let me know. Maybe an occasional update on Facebook?

Well, should you ever find yourself in Brno (I KNOW YOU LOVE IT!) I would be absolutely thrilled to buy you a beer (or wine) or three. I owe you at least that much for all the pleasure your writing has given me. I hope the financial winds shift and you find yourself with more time and money than you can spend.

Thanks so much for all the time you put into the blog. Your updates were always interesting and well written. I will most certainly miss reading them.

I did not recognize Hodonin, despite seeing the church a few times when I went to see Prostejov play ice hockey in the town. Expect to see Prostejov promoted, and playing in the same division as Olomouc next year :-)

I've very much enjoyed following your blog and the progression of your idea and ideas into a larger body of work. I'm excited now for your book project and your transition from blogger to author.

Best of luck on the next path you choose - I'm sure your blog reader will be here waiting for you if you return to blogging at some future date.

I'll be curious to discuss the Slav Epic with you at some point - as little else has made so angered as the keeping of the SE in MK. But I can understand the argument for keeping it there as well, I just disagree.

While I intend to complete (and extend) my cycle trip, the book project is similarly somewhere between on-hold and abandoned. A selfish decision maybe, but it's the one I've made.

I'll look forward to Prostějov's return to the first league, J; if only to see you at the stadium and hear the old Starorežná chants ;-). I'll look forward to your rap on the door, Mike, and Tuckova, if we can switch that alcohol for caffeine, I'll be glad to take you up on your offer of a drink (it's true I like Brno more than I usually let on).

Best you and I stay away from the Slav Epic though Katie. I feel the same- I understand the city-slickers' argument (in the same way that I understand "If you're not stealing , you're stealing from your family"), but I somewhat irrevocably disagree.

Sorry this is so late, havent been able to get online for ages. I am really sad to see you have stopped posting this blog, surely the best source of information for visitors to the Czech Republic on the web. Good luck and if you are ever cycling near Nove Jirny or Klanovice be sure to pop into U Lipy or Smolik for a beer on me.